The centrifuge seemed louder in the sudden silence. Anvi was gaping at me, mouth open like a fish.
“You’veseen it?” Bridget asked after another moment.
My face was burning. “I’m not sure why you’re both so shocked. It’s a classic film. A lot of people have seen it.”
“Yeah, but I thought you only watched, like, war documentaries,” Anvi said. “Isn’t that what guys like?”
I frowned at the unflattering assessment.
Bridget smiled again. It was a small smile, but it still made my heart race. “Be nice, Anvi; he’s not an old man. I always thought they should’ve ended up together, too. Every time I rewatch it, I’m always rooting for them.”
I nodded, then turned back to my computer before I started talking about any of the other films I’d watched because of her offhand comments.
After a few minutes, I received Lisbeth’s email about the gala and held back a sigh. Bridget’s phone buzzed at the same time. I watched her read the email from behind my laptop screen. As I suspected, her face blanched. She always struck me as an introvert, too.
“A gala?” she asked, turning towards me. It sounded like an accusation. “Please tell me this invitation was a mistake.”
“Unfortunately not. Lisbeth and I just discussed it, and she made it very clear we’re expected to go.” I forced my gaze back to the laptop screen.
“Wait, what gala? Am I not invited?” Anvi sounded devastated.
Bridget sighed. “Check your email. I’m sure you’re invited, too. I wish I wasn’t.”
Anvi scurried out to grab her phone from the office. I was briefly proud that she hadn’t brought it into the lab after I’d admonished her for getting distracted by it when she was supposed to be cleaning the centrifuge.
“You’re sure she wantsmeto go?” Bridget asked. She looked skeptical. “Unbonded Omegas aren’t usually invited to stuff like that. Unless it’s a coming-out ball.”
Her face was full of disdain.
“What is a coming-out ball?” I asked. I’d never heard the term.
She wrinkled her nose. “It’s what some packs do when their children present as Omegas, or when they’re old enough if they present early. Packs get together to throw a big party, introducing the Omegas to ‘society.’ But what they’re really doing is presenting them to all the packs that would be acceptable choices for bonding. It’s kind of old-fashioned, but it still happens.”
There was so much about pack dynamics that I’d never learned. My parents had certainly never taken me to some kind of Omega meet and greet. Granted, my parents were both Betas. My mother still hadn’t stopped trying to set me up with her friends’ daughters, though.
“I’m guessing you weren’t part of one?” If she had been, a pack would have chosen her as their Omega before the end of the night.
“No. But not for lack of trying by my fathers.” Her face was dark with an expression I couldn’t fully read, anger and sadness and determination all mixed together. After a moment, she forced another smile. “Obviously, Lisbeth trusts that I won’t embarrass her. The fact that I’ve never started perfuming in the middle of the lab probably helps.”
As usual, the thought of Bridget’s scent spiked my heart rate. I cleared my throat. “Well. If anyone makes you uncomfortable at the event, just let me know.”
“How many times do I need to tell you? I don’t need rescuing,” Bridget said, a little exasperated.
“And how many times do I need to tellyouit’s okay to get help from a friend?” I stood and stretched. I’d go check on the cells, even though they didn’t need it, to clear my head of thoughts of Bridget’s perfume.
She raised an eyebrow skeptically. “We’re friends now? I wasn’t aware.”
It was the perfect time to say no, back away, put up the barrier again. But then I pictured how Bridget’s face might fall if I did. “Yes. My condolences.”
Her smile stole my breath. “I guess I accept, then.”
I was already walking toward the cleanroom. “I’m going to check on the incubators.”
Chapter 8 - Gabriel
I ended most of my days checking the perimeter of the house. It was an old habit that I couldn’t break. Andrew hadn’t had a death threat in years, but the thought of potentially missing a risk to his safety made my lungs seize with panic.
When anyone asked me as a little boy what I would do with my life, I always answered, “Polizia.” It was my dream to protect my community, so I made myself strong and told my mother not to worry. It didn’t matter that my father had left. I would make something of myself and take care of her and my nonna.
